Opportunities like Tuesday’s game against Pittsburgh do not come often when you’re a Western Conference team like the Minnesota Wild. In fact, beyond the playoffs you’re only going to get two shots at any team from the opposite conference. The Wild had a lot of good things being said about them in the media, and in the standings the team was near the top of a very tough division after going 7-3 through October. So when the Metropolitan Division’s top team (Pittsburgh) came to St. Paul it had a great opportunity to step up and make a statement about just how good of a team the State of Hockey has. That being said, the team didn’t make much of a statement.
The Wild did not play the fast, high-pressure game that had served it so well through October allowing them to put lots of pucks on goal and in most cases thoroughly outplaying and outworking their opponents. On Tuesday the Wild played hesitantly through the first two periods of play, a pace of game Pittsburgh was comfortable with and they simply waited for Minnesota to make some mistakes and made them pay for each one by burying a goal. One of the worst things any team can do is to play away from its identity. Its new identity is a fast, puck-possession team and now that the team travels to Canada to face a pesky Ottawa squad and a struggling Canadiens team they better not lose sight of how they play at their best. If they don’t all they have to do is look back at Tuesday for what to expect. Will the Wild re-establish their identity against the Senators?
1st Period Thoughts: Minnesota had good jump to start the game as the line of Mikko Koivu, Charlie Coyle and Jason Zucker caused some trouble on their first shift as Koivu set up Zucker for a quick shot that was fought off by Craig Anderson. The Wild followed that up with a great shift from the reformulated top line as Mikael Granlund and Thomas Vanek entered the Senators’ zone with speed as Granlund tried setting up Vanek on a cross-ice pass that was cut off by Anderson before they could connect. The Senators would try to answer some of the Wild’s early pressure as Curtis Lazar had a good chance from the high slot that was steered away by Niklas Backstrom. Minnesota was not sitting back and playing slow like they did on Tuesday, but instead was pressing the attack by moving fast through the neutral zone and they were entering the offensive zone with speed. This was also turning into scoring chances and shooting opportunities as Minnesota looked hungry. Mikko Koivu was playing assertive, shoot first hockey which is when he’s at his best. Minnesota looked to be well on its way towards taking an early lead but penalties would stall their momentum. The first one was a delay of game penalty on Christian Folin for sending a puck up into the stands in the defensive zone. The Senators’ power play was moving the puck fairly quickly but they were settling for big point shots as Erik Karlsson blistered a slap shot wide of the mark. The Wild’s penalty killers were not giving up any ice in and around the crease area and Minnesota would escape unscathed. Unfortunately, soon after killing off the Senators’ power play they’d go back on the penalty kill after being caught with too many men on the ice. Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo was clearly irritated at the call and tried to protest but to no avail. Again the Senators moved the puck well at the start of the power play as they set up Karlsson for another bomb from the point that was wide of the mark. After that it was all Minnesota as the Wild forced a few turnovers and they managed to kill off the power play without allowing a single shot on goal. Minnesota would renew their attack at even strength, using its speed very effectively to out work and keep Ottawa hemmed in its own end. Despite the possession in the offensive zone, not many shots were being sent on goal. Coincidental minors to Mathew Dumba for interference and diving for Lazar made the ice a bit more open at 4-on-4. The Senators appeared to be a bit more comfortable with both clubs a man short as the Wild’s defensive pairings put Christian Folin on the ice and Ottawa was taking advantage of the generous cushion he was giving in Minnesota’s end. Ottawa nearly cashed in as Alex Chiasson set up Zack Smith for a quick shot from the slot that was steered up into the netting by Backstrom. After the penalties expired, the Wild would go back on the attack. This time it was the 4th line leading the charge as Ryan Carter muscled his way into the offensive zone where he found Nate Prosser on a diagonal pass that was aggressively challenged by Anderson who nearly was beaten on the play. Minnesota kept up its attack late as Nino Niederreiter was powering his way around the ice as he looked to pull the trigger on a heavy slap shot that was blocked away by Anderson. Minnesota had to feel pretty good about the way it played in the 1st period, especially Koivu was really flying all over the ice. I was very impressed with the new chemistry of the top line too. Much better effort in this game than on Tuesday. Wild outshot the Senators 9-5.
2nd Period Thoughts: The fireworks would start early as Mark Borowiecki lined up Jason Pominville for an open ice hit. Marco Scandella would immediately go after Borowiecki and the two would start throwing punches with Borowiecki holding the advantage right away. It was a short-lived scrap and the result would be painful for the Wild as Scandella was given a 2-minute instigator and a 10-minute game misconduct to go along with the fighting major. This would put the Wild a defenseman a man down for the most of the game as well as giving the Senators another power play. Yeo was really going after the officials, but to no relief. The Senators would take full advantage of the power play as they’d break the stalemate as Clarke MacArthur would take a Bobby Ryan pass and fire it by Backstrom and its 1-0 Senators. The Wild would press the attack and Koivu set up Coyle from in close but Anderson was able to make the save. The Senators would start showing a little more jump in their skates after the goal and the Wild found itself on its heels a bit. The pressure would only intensify as Mike Hoffman skated down the wing and he’d let loose a snap shot that struck just underneath the arm of Backstrom and in, 2-0 Ottawa. The Wild would really start to exhibit a bit more urgency to their game as they could sense the game slipping away. A high sticking call on Karlsson would give Minnesota its first power play of the game. Minnesota really struggled to get set up through the first minute and a half of the man advantage. It wasn’t until Niederreiter dangled his way into the offensive zone that he sent a nice cross-ice pass to Koivu who fired a shot on goal that was blocked away by Anderson. After the Wild failed to score on the man advantage they really began to throw the kitchen sink at Ottawa and Anderson soon found himself in a shooting gallery. Minnesota was activating its defenseman and it was Ryan Suter pinching in as he swung a backhand pass for a diving shot by Zucker that would hit the right post and out. The Wild even managed to free Thomas Vanek for a chance off the rush and the Austrian-born winger raced in and he fired a shot that was gloved by Anderson. The Wild were really playing with good intensity but again penalties would conspire to derail their momentum as Vanek tripped up Lazar. A minute into the man advantage, Stephane Veilleux was sent to the box for embellishing Patrick Wiercioch‘s tripping infraction. This would result in lost time for the Wild to apply offensive pressure in the Senator’s zone and the Wild would trail by 2 after two periods of play. A demoralizing period as the Wild out shot Ottawa 10-4, but surrendered two goals in the process. Still a salvageable game at this point, but they have to stay out of the box.
3rd Period Thoughts: The Wild’s hopes would be dashed quickly as some foolish turnovers would boomerang badly for Minnesota. Mathew Dumba would commit about two different turnovers before his no look blind pass quickly became a rush that forced Backstrom to make a save. On the ensuing draw, the puck was drawn back to Hoffman for a quick shot that fooled Backstrom and it was 3-0. The Wild moped a bit, but then would be trying desperately to get that first goal in order to inspire another 3rd period rally. The Wild were trying to turn every possession into a rush up the ice, but the Senators were wise to just letting Minnesota take the initial shot and then tying them up so they couldn’t get near any rebound. So time after time it was one and done for Minnesota in the 3rd period. The Senators were also not being subtle about clutching and grabbing as they tried to keep the Wild from reaching rebounds. The Wild bench was really tearing into the officials, but they seemed content to let the holding and water skiing continue. Minnesota would get a small reprieve as David Legwand was tagged with a tripping penalty giving the Wild its 2nd power play of the game. On the power play, the Wild were guilty of very predictable puck movement that made it easy for Ottawa to pick its spots when challenging the puck carrier. Minnesota was only able to generate a few shots from the perimeter that were easy to dismiss and the team’s best chance in the 3rd to rally back would come up empty.
Niklas Backstrom was a little below average, stopping just 14 shots in the loss. The goals he gave up at times were a little soft; especially the two to Mike Hoffman. Yet I am not going to blame Backstrom for the loss. The Wild played with fire with penalties; and while you could debate the merit of such calls the team spent too much time in the penalty box tonight. I thought the Wild had a great game from Jonas Brodin, and losing Marco Scandella with the instigator infraction did really deprive the team of one of its most effective puck movers. Ryan Suter was very active tonight, but at times I feel he saves himself for later in the game and at times that hurts them in the middle parts of the game.
Offensively the Wild needed to be a bit tougher on the puck and a little more difficult to body off in and around the crease. Time after time the Wild were sealed off from the puck by the Senators’ defense and while that’s a credit to them, Minnesota needed someone to just bear down a bit more. The power play needs to be blown apart and redone. Tonight there were lots of blind passes on the power play and Minnesota is fortunate those didn’t turn into shorthanded goals. The team did managed to generate 30 shots on goal again, but still too many are coming from the perimeter and the team has to bury more of its prime opportunities. Too many times when they get set up in prime scoring position they fail to put the puck on net. The team was at its best when it was setting up Zucker, Coyle, Haula for chances. The point shots are just not getting it done. Jason Pominville needs to really re-assess his game.
Overall it was a better effort than what they had on Tuesday but that isn’t saying a whole lot. On Tuesday the team played hesitant and lethargic. Tonight the team was moving its feet better but at some point the team has to settle for an ugly goal. The Wild were still being a little too cute with the puck, and just take it to the blue paint and bury a goal first instead of having to finish on a tic-tac-toe play. The Scandella penalty was good in a symbolic sense that he stood up for his teammates, but he’s really too valuable for this team to lose right now. Especially with Spurgeon on the shelf with an injury. Let someone else stand up and confront Borowiecki or whoever else takes a liberty with a Wild player. Yet at this point the Wild have to put this game behind them, because they will go into a very hostile Bell Centre on Saturday night.
Wild Notes:
~ The Wild roster tonight was as follows: Mikko Koivu, Charlie Coyle, Mikael Grunlund, Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek, Nino Niederreiter, Erik Haula, Justin Fontaine, Stephane Veilleux, Kyle Brodziak, Ryan Carter, Ryan Suter, Marco Scandella, Nate Prosser, Jonas Brodin, Christian Folin and Mathew Dumba. Darcy Kuemper backed up Niklas Backstrom. Jonathon Blum was the Wild’s lone healthy scratch, while Zach Parise is out with a concussion.
~ The 3 Stars of the Game were: 1st Star Craig Anderson, 2nd Star Mike Hoffman, 3rd Star Curtis Lazar
~ Attendance was 16,867 at Canadian Tire Centre.
Iowa Wild Report:
Recent Score: Iowa 3, Rockford 5
It was school day in Des Moines as the Wild held a mid-afternoon game so school children could attend a game which had educational themes interwoven during stoppages in play and the intermissions (focusing on Science). The Ice Hogs jumped out to a quick lead as Pierre-Cedric Labrie and Joakim Nordstrom found the back of the net behind John Curry to make it 2-0 going into the 2nd period. Rockford would add two more goals in the 2nd period as Mark McNeill and former Hermantown Hawks’ star and former Hobey Baker Award winner Drew LeBlanc scored to give the Ice Hogs a commanding 4-0 lead. The Wild would wait until the end of the second to strike back with two goals from Brady Brassart and Marc Hagel less than a minute apart to cut Rockford’s lead in half going into the 3rd. Jordan Schroeder would score 4:20 into the 3rd period to cut Rockford’s lead to one. Unfortunately, that was as close as it would get as penalties helped derail the Wild’s ability to score the equalizer. Nordstrom would score his 2nd goal of the game on the power play to seal a 5-3 victory for the Ice Hogs. Curry had 39 saves in the loss. Iowa is in last place in the AHL’s Western Conference with a 2-8 record.
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